Of course, Stephen Colbert was teasing as usual when he announced that he’s a candidate for the U.S. presidency.

But the law could create some serious trouble for the satirical talk show host.

Congress has created a load of complex election laws that Colbert may have already triggered with his latest politically charged prank.

The Comedy Central notable executed the necessary documents to have his name added to both the Democratic and Republican primary ballots in South Carolina. In addition, he set up a Web site for his budding campaign while at the same time declaring that he was crossing out the part of an oath stating that he would not “knowingly violate any election law.”

Colbert appears to be mildly serious. He indicated that he has sought the advice of an election law firm, Wiley Rein. The caricaturist switched to his campaign site a petition seeking signatures from the show’s Web site, based on his lawyers’ recommendations.

If Colbert actually follows through as he has promised and pays the fees ($2,500) and collects enough signatures (3000), campaign finance laws will expose his show and network to violations that could even involve criminal penalties.

To the extent that Colbert’s cable show promotes his candidacy, it could arguably be viewed as an illegal “in-kind” contribution from Comedy Central.

The whole problem might be mitigated if Colbert would do something he almost never does — admit it was just a joke.

2. Interplanetary Commies?

Fourteen Chinese astronauts are now being called “taikonauts” by their country (“taiko” meaning “space” in Chinese).

Apparently, the plan is for China to eventually have a permanent presence in outer space, and along with it, a branch of the Communist Party of China.

The Chicom rules are that at least three Party members are necessary to set up a grassroots organization, even one that’s way north and severely left of the horizon.

China’s first taikonaut Yang Liwei announced the out there idea, saying, “If China has its own space station, the taikonauts on mission will carry out the regular activities of a CPC [Chinese Communist Party] branch in space in the way we do on earth, such as learning the Party’s policies and exchanging opinions on the Party’s decisions.”

A lot of folks think we already have an established political group whose members’ feet are stuck to Earth but whose heads float in the ether.

It’s called the Democrat Party.

3. Hollywood’s Other Presidential Pick

The media have been reporting that, in the race for the Hollywood money, Barack Obama edged out Hillary Clinton in the last quarter.

But there’s another candidate whose ideas are a much better fit with the geopolitical genius that permeates Tinseltown.

And dictator-loving Sean Penn recently contributed to this candidate’s campaign.

Among this candidate’s supporters are Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis (“Crash”), actor Joaquin Phoenix (“Walk the Line”) and actress of “Rosario” character fame on “Will and Grace,” Shelley Morrison.

Who’s Hollywood’s lesser-known Golden Boy?

It’s none other than Department of Peace promoter Dennis Kucinich.

4. Bill Maher Defends President Bush

It looks like Bill Maher has managed to create a rift among Hollywood’s far-lefties.

Apparently, the host of HBO’s “Real Time” strongly disagrees with Rosie O’Donnell, Charlie Sheen and James Brolin on what really happened on September 11, 2001.

Recently, during the live feed of his weekly show, the comic-activist personally assisted security guards in the removal of a protester.

Evidently, a protester, who had smuggled into the studio a sign that read “9/11 is a cover up fraud,” was in the audience and at one point stood up.

The man apparently had some fellow protesters planted in other parts of the studio audience as well, and they, too, stood up and chimed in with conspiracy theories.

When security reached the aisle in which the man was located, the guards met with resistance. That’s when Maher ran into the seats and helped push the guy out the door, shouting, "Out! Out! Out!"

After the protestors were tossed out, Maher told the panelists on the show that people often hang out outside his studio to lecture him on 9/11 conspiracy theories.

“It's the only time I defend Bush,” Maher shared.

5. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel Loses ESPN Gig for Joking

ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was essentially fired from his position as comedic color commentator on ESPN's Monday Night Football.

After two editions of the show, Kimmel was let go for a quip about former QB and announcer Joe Theismann, in which he said that Theismann, who was let go last season, was “watching from his living room with steam coming from his ears.”

The next day, Monday Night Football producer Jay Rothman characterized Kimmel's joke as “classless and disappointing,” adding that “it was cheap.”

Rothman confirmed Kimmel won’t be back.

This is reminiscent of 2003, when ESPN bowed to pressure and accepted Rush Limbaugh’s resignation after the talk show host directed commentary at the media about quarterback Donovan McNabb’s overly favorable press coverage.

Sports talk used to be the last bastion of freeform ranting.

Looks like PC-itis has really infected the announcing booth when a commentator gets let go for expressing an opinion and a comedian gets fired for telling a joke.